Orange and T-Mobile contract prices to increase

It has been announced that both Orange and T-Mobile are to increase the price of current pay-monthly customers bills by the rate of the Retail Price index which stands at 3.3%.

This price increase will take effect from 10th April 2013 for Orange customers and 9th May for T-Mobile customers. There is a price freeze for those customers who have taken out contracts recently. All customers are due to be contacted by letter giving them the mandatory 30 days notice.

Orange customers that joined the affected tariffs between 2nd December 2012 and 8th April 2013 will receive a 6 month freeze whereby they will have no increase for the freeze period. T-Mobile customers who joined or upgraded before 22nd January 2013 will experience an increase from 9th May 2013 although those who did or do so between 1st December and 8th May 2013 will also have an increase freeze for 6 months.

The freeze does not apply to SIM only deals. Business customers on Orange are not affected whilst the majority of those on T-Mobile will be. Customers will be presented with a series of options to avoid the price rises ranging from migrating to EE, upgrading, moving to a non-impacted price plan or taking advantage of a new option which is available from 10th April called Fix Your Monthly Plan.

Fix Your Monthly Plan enables you to pay a small amount which ranges from 50p to £2.00 per month on top of your contract charge in order to ensure that you receive no price increases. The amount you pay depends on your current line rental.

EE claim that most customers will see an increase of less than 75p per month, a customer on a £26 per month contract will be paying £26.86 per month after the increase.

“As a result of rising business costs, we are having to increase the price of some Orange and T-Mobile monthly plans. Typically the increase will be 70p a month.”

“At the same time, we have listened to our customers and understand that some would like the option of fixing the price of their monthly plan. That’s why we are also launching a “Fix Your Monthly Plan” option – the first of its kind in the industry.”

“We know prices rises are never great news, but we always aim to offer great value to our customers as well as the best service on the UK’s biggest network.”

Are you affected by the price increase? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

These are probably just to subsidise their massive investment in being the first provider to offer 4G, and make up for the fact that only 12 customers in central London are currently prepared to pay for it.

Anonymous

Stop calling it 4g it aint 4g!(It’s More like 3.9G As LTE is 3g tech) And this is simply a greedy company extracting more cash sneekly.

They have to have planned this in advance. All contracts used to have a clause that allowed for “reasonable rises” and EE were the first to test “reasonable” as inflation.
Now though the contracts specifically state inflation-that’s no coincidence.
so it looks like annual prices from EE are here to stay. Unlike their customers if that’s the case…

Martin

This is the second rise I have had for this contract. I’ll be moving off when it is up for renewal in August. Their charges for going over your monthly limits are extortionate, they never let you know if you are getting near the limit, they will not allow you to set a maximum limit either. I called them up when I realised the limits had been breached, no sympathy, no help, nothing, they justt said it is down to you to keep an eye on your useage. This is fair I guess, but I asked about setting up notifications, nope, I asked if I could set it up so if the limit was breached I could set a limit on how much it could go over, nope. So, Three or Virgin here I come (or my daughter as it is her phone).

Peter

legalised robbery I will be leaving as soon as my contract expires as will my wife.

You sign a contract which you expect to remain the same. That’s 2 customers heading for the exit if everyone else des the same I will stop big companies ripping off the consumer.

bm.com

Tom – mooedia – you do realise o2 just increased prices too, so going back to them will not solve anything…..

Martin

How come when I look at new tariffs they are cheaper than my current one with the price rises incorporated? I started in 2011 on Orange on a Panther £36, I am currently paying £37:72. They are going up again so I reckon I’ll be paying the best part of £39, yet the Panther contract I am on is still £36 for new customers? How can this be right? If inflation is calling for price rises, surely this should affect all contracts, old, new and not even taken out yet?
It is the same on O2, my O2 contract was £31, it is going up to £31:99, yet if I got a new contract it would only be £31, not £31:99, it is a sharp practice to stitch up people tied into a 24 month contract. Yet people who sign up to the exact same contract as a new customer still only pay the previous price, till the next round of price increases of course!
I have multiple contracts cos I pay for my Wife and Daughters phones.

My contract is a £7pm Sim only from Virgin :) God forbid the women in my house could be happy with their phone and not need to upgrade all the time!

Fiona

i recieved news of the above changes to Orange price plan, This was not well explained only of dates for the expected altereration. Any final extra cost whilst having signed a month by month agreement is not good. Cancel agreements come at added cost.

Linda

I signed up for a 24 month period for a product at a given price. The price has altered today & although I phoned Orange they told me I would have charges to pay if I left the contract early. I’ve been with Orange for 13 years but I won’t be after July! Another gripe is that they tell me I’m on the best tariff for my usage but I don’t use one tenth of any of my allowances-ever! I’m off come July when this contract ends.

O2isbetter

That’s it… blag how cheap the monthly deal is once in a contract hike the price. Because of INFLATION my a**e
My wages haven’t gone up. I’m going to bombard with calls to orange with complaints… to make the most of what I’m paying.

mrs c bryan

i am affected by this ludicus price increase when i took my contract out in sep 2012 i was not told about the clause that stated they could up the price if they had done so i would not have had the phone i intend to go to ofcom because on there web site it states you will not see an increase if you are on the lastest full monty which i am it states you will not see a increase if you renewed since feb 2012 which i have i have phoned them told them what i have found on theire web site the operator said she could not find the site i was looking at evan though it is t mobiles official site i will be complaing

Dave

Having gone through my small print- section 7.2.3.2. says “if you are within the minimum term and suffer material detriment a cancellation charge won`t apply” Anyone shed any light?

Weston

I fail to understand how T Mobile can increase their charges on a contract and expect their customers to take it lying down. The term binding contract would appear to apply to the customer only and not to the provider. What safeguards do their customers have if they decide to increase the costs by £10 per month? I spend £900 anually on 3 mobile phones in our household and although the increase is small, as a matter of principle I will be looking for another provider when the contracts are due. Well done T Mobile for making another unhappy customer!!!